I could not have ended my tour of Yamhill County wineries in a better way than the experience provided at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. This is a special place in so many ways, from the facility's thoughtful architectural design, to the connected experiences offered tasting Penner-Ash wine.

I had learned about Penner-Ash while listening to the 3 Wine Guys, who recommended their wine during a podcast that featured four 2005 Oregon pinot noirs. After hearing their show, I was eager to visit the Penner-Ash winery and try some of their wines myself. Little did I know how this online discovery via iTunes would turn into a fantastic offline experience at the Penner-Ash winery.

When you turn at the Penner-Ash sign from the main road, you can't see the winery, only the gravel path leading up a hill into a dense patch of trees. As you make your away up the hill, the trees give way to rows of grapes in the Dussin Vineyard, their 15 acre estate vineyard, which is one of eleven places they source grapes. The road crests providing a wide view of the winery, which is set at the top of the hill, creating a picturesque setting.

The Penner-Ash winery, which was built in 2005, appears as if it were meant for this hillside - the architectural design, from landscaping to building, complements the surroundings very well. And their thoughtful design extends inside, where it's clear this facility was built with both winemaker and visitor in mind, for it is inside where connections between vine and wine are most apparent. From the tasting room, visitors have a variety of views looking out across the vineyard to the valley beyond or down into various levels inside this gravity-flow complex.

The design and style of Penner-Ash reminded me of the Novelty Hill-Januik winery in Woodinville. In a similar way, Penner-Ash has established a benchmark in winery design and construction that enables visitors to go beyond the bottle. By replacing walls with glass, Penner-Ash creates a level of transparency that is rare in most wineries I have visited. There's no need for visitors to ask, "can we take a look at what's going on in back?", for you can see it for yourself while sipping wine in the tasting room.

In combination with its spectacular setting, Penner-Ash provides knowledgeable staff and great service. I was fortunate to be served by Natalie, who is responsible for direct sales and hospitality. Natalie created a tasting experience that was enjoyable and enlightening, offering many stories behind the who, what and where of Penner-Ash wine. With each glass poured and story told, I was feeling more and more connected to the people and places behind this winery.

For example, I learned a lot about the founder and winemaker,Lynn Penner-Ash, who spent thirteen years at Rex Hill before leaving to dedicate herself to her own label. She and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash as a side venture in 1998 and eventually partnered with Chris and Tyanne Dussin in 2001 to establish the winery on a fulltime basis. You can read more about these folks and other aspects at the Penner-Ash web site, which like the winery, offers a benchmark in site design and usability.

I enjoyed hearing these stories as Natalie poured each glass offered in the tasting flight, a 2006 Dry White Riesling, a 2005 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, a 2006 Rubeo (syrah/pinot blend), a 2005 Oregon Syrah, and a 2006 Roseo (pinot rose). In addition, Natalie offered tastes of their 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and 2006 Dussin Vineyard Pinot Noir. The tasting fee was only $5, which was refunded with my purchase of the '06 Dry Riesling and '05 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, two wines I can't wait to open soon.

It was a lot of fun tasting the wines and hearing Natalie impart information on each bottle's grapes, vineyards, and winemaking style. Best of all, she let the wines speak for themselves, without bragging about awards or reviews. Natalie's passion for Penner-Ash made for a great experience. I've lost count the number of wineries that subscribe to a "fill 'em up and get 'em out" approach. Not at Penner-Ash, where you are encouraged to linger and learn about the people and places behind their wines.

I look forward to coming back to Penner-Ash on my next visit to Yamhill County, to spend more time in this special setting and to discover more about their wines. I recommend you do the same on your next trip to Oregon wine country.

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